Hi Wpg_girl. :) You could use a mini-greenhouse to get things outside a touch earlier, but you would have to cover it at night when it gets cold - cover the whole greenhouse, i mean. Also, if you aren't home all day, you would have to remember to open it up in the morning or your plants will cook (voice of experience!). So they are useful, but you'd have to be really cautious about it.

Marcia, cooked a few plants did you...haha....I can laugh cauzzzzzz I have been there done that too. Dried those suckers right to crisp. lol!

wpg_girl, I don't think these tiny greenhouses are worth the money. I have a large greenhouse and I just took the perennials out yesterday. I have a little heater on in there overnight. It will be at least another week before I put the rest of the trays out there.....again with the heater on at night. During the day if the sun comes out, I open both doors so there is lots air passing through.

Have you looked into cold frames? That might help somewhat.

Sierra

I have used the little greenhouses with good success.
I think that it entirely depends on where you put the greenhouse as to how well it works. I have used mine on the south side of the house in a protected area. It sits on cement as well which probably draws in the heat from the sun.
I have had my plants outside with no losses in -5* temperatures. But they were hardened off for a bit first.

Shelley

Thanks. That is pretty much what I thought they would be like.

What is the difference between the greenhouses and cold frames though? I assumed they were the same basic thing.